Streetcars in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Streetcars
have been running in Kenosha, Wisconsin for more than 100 years through a variety of companies and routes.
, USA, from February 3, 1903, through February 14, 1932. Although it had several owners, the original name was used throughout its history and is still unofficially attached to the current streetcar line in Kenosha. In 1932 the Kenosha system was converted to electric trolley bus
es, making Kenosha an early user of these vehicles for all transit operations (both Ipswich and Darlington in the UK converted entirely to trolley buses in 1926). Kenosha also utilized color-coding for transit routes, a more common practice in horsecar
days but used by Glasgow on its electric cars from the beginning.
s in coordination with the HarborPark development on the shores of Lake Michigan
. The line has become a model project studied by urban planner
s worldwide, and is used by thirty percent of visitors to Kenosha.
Installation of the tram track sub-base was completed in the autumn of 1998 and utilized crushed concrete from the foundations of the 1870-era Simmons Bedding Company
/American Motors Corporation office and plant buildings east of Fifth Avenue. As the new streets in HarborPark were completed in the fall of 1999, crews installed new 115-pound-per-yard (57 kg/m) continuously welded rail streetcar track over modern concrete ties (except for standard wooden ties under grade crossings). Electric overhead line construction for 600-volt direct current
was completed in April 2000 and energized by a modern solid state
substation
.
Kenosha's five historic 'Red Rocket' PCC A15-class streetcars were built in Montreal
for the Toronto Transit Commission
in 1951 by Canada Car and Foundry under license from the St. Louis Car Company
, and were remanufactured and rebodied from the windows down in 1991. Each Kenosha car is painted in a unique livery
representing an historic North American transit system that also operated PCC streetcars. The first of Kenosha's streetcars was 4610 'Toronto' (originally 4541), delivered on May 4, 2000. The four other cities and systems thereby represented include Chicago Surface Lines
4606 'Green Hornet', Pittsburgh Railways Company 4609 'Pittsburgh', Johnstown Traction Company
4615 'Johnstown', and Cincinnati Street Railways 4616 'Cincinnati'.
The ceremonial dedication of the streetcar line and the new Transit Center was held on June 17, 2000, and the memorial ribbon was broken at 11 a.m. by 4610 'Toronto', piloted by Richard Lindgren who had been a motorman
for the original Kenosha Electric Railway (KERy) in 1932.
Public rides began immediately after the opening ceremony. Regularly scheduled service started two days later, on Monday morning, June 19, 2000.
In addition to its utilitarian purpose, the streetcar system (along with Metra
service) has played a major role in the downtown's transit-oriented development
(TOD) and immediately became one of Kenosha's top tourist attractions. In December 2005, the City Council voted to study expansion of the current two-mile downtown route (which currently carries over 63,000 passengers yearly) to the city's southwest and through the Uptown business district.
Kenosha's HarborPark Plan, which is served by the streetcar line, comprises over four hundred upscale urban housing units and retail, commercial, restaurant and recreational facilities. The streetcar circulator project demonstrates the feasibility of reintroducing zero-emission electric transit into midwest cities and the application of special short-haul transit applications.
In 2010, the Kenosha Streetcar Society marked the 10th anniversary of the return of streetcar service to Kenosha with a celebration on June 19, 2010. The society facilitated the creation of celebratory banners, and donated commemorative transfers that were handed out to passengers to mark this significant milestone.
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
have been running in Kenosha, Wisconsin for more than 100 years through a variety of companies and routes.
Kenosha Electric Railway
The Kenosha Electric Railway (KERy) was a street railway serving the city of Kenosha, WisconsinKenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
, USA, from February 3, 1903, through February 14, 1932. Although it had several owners, the original name was used throughout its history and is still unofficially attached to the current streetcar line in Kenosha. In 1932 the Kenosha system was converted to electric trolley bus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
es, making Kenosha an early user of these vehicles for all transit operations (both Ipswich and Darlington in the UK converted entirely to trolley buses in 1926). Kenosha also utilized color-coding for transit routes, a more common practice in horsecar
Horsecar
A horsecar or horse-drawn tram is an animal-powered streetcar or tram.These early forms of public transport developed out of industrial haulage routes that had long been in existence, and from the omnibus routes that first ran on public streets in the 1820s, using the newly improved iron or steel...
days but used by Glasgow on its electric cars from the beginning.
Modern streetcar line
At the turn of the 21st century, Kenosha constructed a modern electric streetcar system utilizing historic PCC streetcarPCC streetcar
The PCC streetcar design was first built in the United States in the 1930s. The design proved successful in its native country, and after World War II was licensed for use elsewhere in the world...
s in coordination with the HarborPark development on the shores of Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
. The line has become a model project studied by urban planner
Urban planner
An urban planner or city planner is a professional who works in the field of urban planning/land use planning for the purpose of optimizing the effectiveness of a community's land use and infrastructure. They formulate plans for the development and management of urban and suburban areas, typically...
s worldwide, and is used by thirty percent of visitors to Kenosha.
Installation of the tram track sub-base was completed in the autumn of 1998 and utilized crushed concrete from the foundations of the 1870-era Simmons Bedding Company
Simmons Bedding Company
Simmons Bedding Company is a major manufacturer of mattresses and related bedding products. The company is founded in 1870. Simmons' flagship brand is Beautyrest, and it is one of the oldest companies of this type in the USA. According to a Simmons press release, net sales for 2005 were $855...
/American Motors Corporation office and plant buildings east of Fifth Avenue. As the new streets in HarborPark were completed in the fall of 1999, crews installed new 115-pound-per-yard (57 kg/m) continuously welded rail streetcar track over modern concrete ties (except for standard wooden ties under grade crossings). Electric overhead line construction for 600-volt direct current
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
was completed in April 2000 and energized by a modern solid state
Solid state (electronics)
Solid-state electronics are those circuits or devices built entirely from solid materials and in which the electrons, or other charge carriers, are confined entirely within the solid material...
substation
Electrical substation
A substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or perform any of several other important functions...
.
Kenosha's five historic 'Red Rocket' PCC A15-class streetcars were built in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
for the Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
in 1951 by Canada Car and Foundry under license from the St. Louis Car Company
St. Louis Car Company
The St. Louis Car Company was a major United States manufacturer of railroad passenger cars, streetcars, trolleybuses and locomotives that existed from 1887–1973, based in St. Louis, Missouri.-History:...
, and were remanufactured and rebodied from the windows down in 1991. Each Kenosha car is painted in a unique livery
Livery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
representing an historic North American transit system that also operated PCC streetcars. The first of Kenosha's streetcars was 4610 'Toronto' (originally 4541), delivered on May 4, 2000. The four other cities and systems thereby represented include Chicago Surface Lines
Chicago Surface Lines
The Chicago Surface Lines was operator of the street railway system of Chicago, Illinois, from the years 1913 to 1947. The firm is a predecessor of today's publicly owned operator, the Chicago Transit Authority.-History:...
4606 'Green Hornet', Pittsburgh Railways Company 4609 'Pittsburgh', Johnstown Traction Company
Johnstown Traction Company
Johnstown Traction Company was a public transit system in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States. For most of its existence it was primarily a street-railway system, but in later years also operated rubber-tired vehicles. JTC operated trolley service in Johnstown from February 23, 1910 to June...
4615 'Johnstown', and Cincinnati Street Railways 4616 'Cincinnati'.
The ceremonial dedication of the streetcar line and the new Transit Center was held on June 17, 2000, and the memorial ribbon was broken at 11 a.m. by 4610 'Toronto', piloted by Richard Lindgren who had been a motorman
Motorman
A motorman is the person who operates an electrified trolley car, tram, light rail, or rapid transit train.The term refers to the person who is in charge of the motor in the same sense as a railroad engineer is in charge of the engine. The term was gender-neutral...
for the original Kenosha Electric Railway (KERy) in 1932.
Public rides began immediately after the opening ceremony. Regularly scheduled service started two days later, on Monday morning, June 19, 2000.
In addition to its utilitarian purpose, the streetcar system (along with Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
service) has played a major role in the downtown's transit-oriented development
Transit-oriented development
A transit-oriented development is a mixed-use residential or commercial area designed to maximize access to public transport, and often incorporates features to encourage transit ridership...
(TOD) and immediately became one of Kenosha's top tourist attractions. In December 2005, the City Council voted to study expansion of the current two-mile downtown route (which currently carries over 63,000 passengers yearly) to the city's southwest and through the Uptown business district.
Kenosha's HarborPark Plan, which is served by the streetcar line, comprises over four hundred upscale urban housing units and retail, commercial, restaurant and recreational facilities. The streetcar circulator project demonstrates the feasibility of reintroducing zero-emission electric transit into midwest cities and the application of special short-haul transit applications.
In 2010, the Kenosha Streetcar Society marked the 10th anniversary of the return of streetcar service to Kenosha with a celebration on June 19, 2010. The society facilitated the creation of celebratory banners, and donated commemorative transfers that were handed out to passengers to mark this significant milestone.
See also
- Kenosha TransitKenosha TransitKenosha Area Transit is a city-owned public transportation agency based in Kenosha, Wisconsin.The system, which is part of the Southeast Wisconsin Transit System, maintains a fleet of 68 buses and five streetcars operating on 10 bus routes and one streetcar route throughout the city and outlying...
, operator of the streetcar circulator as well as Kenosha's bus system. - Heritage streetcarHeritage streetcarHeritage streetcars or heritage trams are a development of the heritage railways that are becoming popular across the world. As with modern streetcar systems, the vehicles are referred to as trams or tramcars in the United Kingdom, Australasia and certain other places , but as streetcars or...
- Streetcars in North AmericaStreetcars in North AmericaElectric streetcars—trams outside North America—once were the chief mode of public transit in scores of North American cities. Most municipal systems were dismantled in the mid-20th century....